GUWAHATI, June 22 � Chief Minister�s Press Advisor Bharat Chandra Narah today alleged that Governor PB Acharya has saffronised the State�s education system and described this act as despicable.
In a statement here, Narah said that the Governor has nominated persons with Rastriya Swayamsewak Sangha (RSS) background as well as �rank outsiders� to the Dibrugarh University Court. This is despite the fact under the Dibrugarh University Act, 1965, only distinguished persons can be nominated to the court of this university.
The Governor has nominated persons with RSS allegiance and with nominal educational background, to the court of this university. Scrutiny of the educational qualifications of some of these people reveals that they have obtained Industrial Training Institute (ITI) diplomas and bachelor degrees only, said Narah.
Never before had a Governor misused his power as the Chancellor, in the manner Governor PB Acharya has done. It is obvious that this has been done by the Governor in a bid to saffronise the education system of the State. Significantly, the Governor has done this at a time when the present State government has kept persons with political background away from the governing bodies of the 189 colleges and 106 newly provincialised colleges, Narah said.
The 1965 Dibrugarh University Act provides for nomination of ten persons by the Governor, as the Chancellor of the university, to the University Court, provided each of them has donated a sum of Rs 5 lakh or more to the university, Narah said.
The Chancellor can also nominate ten more persons to the University Court provided they are distinguished persons in the fields of literature, law, medicine, engineering, technology, industry, commerce and public life.
The Governor can nominate two more persons to the Dibrugarh University Court from amongst those whose interests are not otherwise represented, Narah said referring to the Dibrugarh University Act.
The Governor nominated to the Dibrugarh University Court Ramapada Jamatiya, who is an ITI diploma holder and is now working with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd and who is the state general secretary of the Viswa Hindu Parishad�s Tripura unit.
He has nominated Bandita Sashoni also to the Dibrugarh University Court. Sashoni is a BA and she is the vice president of the Assam state unit of the Rastra Sevika Samiti, the woman wing of the RSS. Longshing Teron, owner and editor of Karbi daily Thekar, who is associated with the RSS-inspired NGO Indigenous Faith and is also the president of the State wing of the RSS� Banabashi Kalyan Ashram, has also been nominated by the Governor to the DU Court.
Moreover, Aseem Dutta, vice president of the RSS Assam and Arunachal Pradesh committees, has also been nominated by the Governor to the DU Court, Narah said.
He also questioned the Governor�s act of nominating Dilip Paranjape, a Mumbai-based chartered accountant to the DU Court. It is not comprehensible as to with what aim in view a chartered accountant, that too based in Mumbai, has been nominated to the Dibrugarh University Court, Narah said.